Pole banner sign construction

ABSTRACT

The pole banner sign construction has permanent hardware for supporting a flexible banner on a pole. All of the hardware is permanently mounted on the pole, eliminating the need for removing hardware components for storage when not used for supporting a banner. The hardware can be positioned easily on the pole to be inconspicuous and out of the way when not used to support a banner component. A simple flexible banner that may be changed from time to time is mounted on the hardware and is adapted to be folded into a small package for shipment in an envelope. A pair of banner members may be similarly mounted on either side of the pole. The banner may be changed from time to time without the use of any tools by merely unhooking several hooks from banner engagement and then hooking the replacement banner in place.

United States Patent Inventors Samuel J. M011et,111 Canton; Thomas Friedrichsen, Massillon, both of, Ohio Appl. No. 880,117

Filed Nov. 26, 1969 Patented July 20, 1971 Assignee The Massillon-Cleveland-Akron Sign Company Massillon, Ohio POLE BANNER SIGN CONSTRUCTION Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-Wenceslao J. Contreras Allorney- Frease and Bishop ABSTRACT: The pole banner sign construction has permanent hardware for supporting a flexible banner on a pole. All of the hardware is permanently mounted on the pole, eliminating the need for removing hardware components for storage when not used for supporting a banner. The hardware can be positioned easily on the pole to be inconspicuous and out of the way when not used to support a banner component. A simple flexible banner that may be changed from time to time is mounted on the hardware and is adapted to be folded into a small package for shipment in an envelope. A pair of banner members may be similarly mounted on either side of the pole. The banner may be changed from time to time without the use of any tools by merely unhooking several hooks from banner engagement and then hooking the replacement banner in place.

PATENTEUJUL20|91| SHEET 1 OF 2 ATTORNEYS POLE BANNER SIGN CONSTRUCTION CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENTS The invention involves improvements in the constructions shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,764,830,,2,882,630, 2,893,147, and 3,310,899, and in our copending applications Ser. Nos. 828,848 and 833,262, filed May 29, 1969, and June 16, 1969, respectively.

BACKGROUND OF T HE INVENTION .A pole banner sign of this general type is shown in said U.S. Pat. No. 2,764,830. The flexible banner of such a pole banner sign should be tensioned and should be detachable readily and easilyfor changing the banner message from time to time in an advertising campaign wherein a series. of signs is displayed.

It is desirable to providepermanenthardwarecomponents for supporting and mounting the flexible banner on the pole so that no hardware needbe shipped with a replacement banner each time the banner .is changed in .an advertising campaign involving a series of banners. It is further desired that these hardware components be permanently attached to the pole so that no hardware need be removed and stored when no .banner is mounted and displayed on the pole. At the same time, it is desirable that the pole present a neat and trim appearance with the unused parts being inconspicuous and physically out of the way when no sign is mounted and displayed on the pole.

Finally, to minimize production and shipping costs, the flexible banner components should have a simple rectangular shape on which the sign is printed or otherwise displayed, which readily can be folded into small package size for shipment, by mail when desired in a relatively small envelope.

2. Description of the Prior Art The prior artis well shown in the prior patents identified above. Many types and kinds of poles exist at various gasoline service stationslocated throughout the country. Any of such poles may be at the desired place or location for mounting a series of banner display signs. Many different types and kinds of poles are involved, such as tubular metal poles, either plain or corrugated, cylindrical or tapered, or generally circular or polygonal in cross section; or the poles may be wooden, or concrete, or plastic; and any such pole may have any desired configuration in size and cross section.

This involves problems in providing upper and lower support members for a banner, particularly when the support members must hold the upper and lower edges of a rectangular vertically extending flexible banner in substantially horizontally extending locations when the banner is mounted on the pole, and at the same time provide permanent hardware for mounting the banner which is inconspicuous when not in use to support a banner.

These considerations thus have presented a need for rugged permanent hardware for mounting a flexible banner in ten sioned position on a pole, which hardware can be permanently left on the pole and arranged so as to be inconspicuous and physically out of the way when not in use, and which hardware readily may be used to change flexible banners from time to time without the use of any tools or the need of replacing or reinstalling any hardware, and wherein the flexible banner, per se may be folded in a small conveniently handled package for envelope shipping in order to repeatedly mount and display a series of different bannerson the hardware in carrying out an advertising campaign.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Objectives of the invention include providing a pole banner sign construction which releasably suspends and mounts a flexible rectangular banner member or component in tensioned condition extending vertically on a pole with the banner located between upper and lower suspension or support means hardware of a permanent nature, the components of which are all permanently mounted on the pole, and can be arranged, when not in use, to be inconspicuous and physically out of the way, thereby eliminating the need for storage of the hardware or shipment of new hardware; and in which successive banners may be mounted one replacing another without the use of any tools. Further, objectives involve the use of hardware of a permanent nature, on which a banner may be mounted at its upper and lower end, and in which the mounting means preferably involves only the engagement of a flexible banner by hook members which engage grommet means, or similar attachment means located at each of the four corners of the fabric banner component in mounting the same on the hardware.

Another objective is to reduce the cost of the replaceable banner members as well as shipping costs therefore, by providing for banner shipment in a condition folded to small package size which may be contained in a relatively small envelope without requiring shipment or replacement of rigid stick members or other components heretofore necessary in replacing a banner supported on hardware mounted on a pole.

These objectives and advantages are attained by the pole banner construction, the general nature of which may be stated as including the combination of a flexible banner member component generally rectangular in shape, formed of foldable cloth, fabric, or plastic material having grommet attachment means at each of its four corners, each grommet means forming an opening for book attachment; upper and lower hardware support and suspension means for the banner component adapted to be permanently mounted on a pole; said upper and lower support means each including a mounting bracket, flexible metal spring rod means, spring tensioned bolt means pivotally connecting said spring rod means to said mounting bracket, and hook means in tensioned engagement betweenthe metal spring rod means and the grommet means; and means for mounting said upper and lower support means on a pole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred embodiments of the invention-illustrative of the best modes in which applicants have contemplated applying the principles-are set forth in the following description and shown in the drawings and are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sign pole having the improved pole banner sign construction combined with and mounted on the pole;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary isometric view with parts broken away, illustrating the improved pole banner sign construction mounted on a pole shown in dot-dash lines;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of an upper corner of the banner unit of FIG. 2 showing the attachment between the spring rod and banner;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary top view with parts in section of either the top or bottom banner support hardware attached to the pole;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5-5, FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the bolt and spring components of the banner support hardware shown in FIGS. 4 and FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the bracket component of the upper and lower banner support hardware;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of either the upper or lower support hardware with the rod in storage position turned from its position shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 4, showing an alternate means of securing the support hardware to the pole; and

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of an upper corner of a banner unit showing an alternative arrangement providing a rope loop attachment means.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The improved pole banner construction generally is indicated at I wherein a flexible banner member 2 is mounted on a pole 3. The mounting means for flexible banner component 2 comprises upper support means generally indicated at 4 and a lower support means generally indicated at 5.

The upper and lower support means 4 and 5 preferably are identical, and thus only the upper means are described in detail. The support means 4 or 5 includes a U-shaped bracket generally indicated at 6 (FIG. 7) which has a wall 7 provided with horizontal notches 8 and vertical notches 9 radiating from a central opening 10. Bracket 6 is normally mounted on pole 3 by a usual band 11 which passes through slots 12 formed in bracket 6.

A bolt generally indicated at 13 includes a head 13a and a shaft 14 (FIG. 6). Shaft 14 is surrounded by a spring 15, and shaft 14 extends through bracket hole 10. A spring rod 16 extends through an aperture 17 in the outer end of bolt shaft 14, and preferably is connected thereto by welding at 18, FIG. 4.

Banner component 2 is made of flexible material and has a grommet 19 (FIG. 3) at each of its four corners. S-hooks 20 are secured to spring rods 16 through openings 21, and S- hooks 20 also are connected through holes 22 in grommets 19 with banner component 2 as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 9 shows an alternate method of attaching bracket 6 to pole 3 with self-tapping screws 23 engaged in pole 3 through bracket holes 24 formed in the legs 25 of bracket 6.

FIG. shows alternate attachment means for the banner. Banner unit 2 may be formed with hems 26 along each side in which a rope 27 is contained. The corners of banner 2 are cut away exposing a small section of rope 27 which forms a loop 28 with which the S-hooks (not shown) or other attachment means may be engaged.

The support means 4 and 5 are mounted in spaced relation on pole 3 spaced-apart a distance slightly greater than the length of banner component 2. Thus, spring rods 16 are bowed as shown to maintain tension on banners 2 so as to hold them taut at all times. Each spring rod 16 normally is held from rotation with respect to bracket 6 by being seated in notches 8 and held seated by springs 15.

Spring rods 16 maintain tension on banner 2, thus holding it taut and wrinkle free. At the same time, the spring rods 16 permit banner 2 to freely billow outward from wind forces or pressure without being torn or damaged. The elasticity of spring rods 16 return banner 2 to its normal stabilized position.

It is usual (FIG. 2) to mount two banners back to back on any pole to display signs in opposite directions. This may be accomplished by permanently mounting the upper and lower support means mounting bracket means 6 back to back on either side of pole 3 for mounting two banners on the pole.

Advertising campaigns conducted through point-ofpurchase advertising at gasoline or service stations frequently involve the successive display of a series of advertising messages. In accordance with the invention, this may be accomplished merely by replacing banners 2 with new banners from time to time. Such replacement is performed readily, quickly, and easily merely by unhooking the banners from the S-hooks at each corner and then engaging the new banner on these same S-hooks. No tools of any nature whatsoever are required to make the banner change, all hardware being on the pole.

When desired to eliminate banner display on pole 3 for a period of time, banner 2 may be removed and discarded. The

new construction enables a fast, convenient way of arranging all of the hardware on the pole so that it is inconspicuous and physically out of the way. Spring rods 16 are disengaged from the horizontal notches 8 by merely pulling the spring rods 16 away from the pole, thus compressing spring 15 between bolt head 13a and bracket wall 7. Spring rods 16 (FIG. 8) then are turned and released. The tension of springs 15 retains rods 16 in vertical notches 9. No tools of any nature are required to rearrange the hardware and all of hardware components remain permanently on the pole, thereby eliminating the need for storage of component parts as in previous structures which may involve lost or misplaced parts and the subsequent need for ordering and shipping replacement parts. The spring rods positioned parallel to the pole become inconspicuous and physically out of the way of customers and service station attendants.

Accordingly, the new pole sign construction provides an arrangement in which permanent hardware is provided for mounting a banner on a pole, and only the flexible banners, per se, changed and discarded for changing the sign displayed; provides a construction in which all the hardware components are permanently mounted on the pole eliminating the need for removing and storage of component parts when no banner is installed; provides a construction in which the hardware components can be easily and readily rearranged on the pole to be inconspicuous when not in use; provides a construction in which a flexible banner component may be mounted at its top and bottom edges and tensioned on the pole to accommodate wind forces; provides a banner component which may be folded into a small package and shipped in an envelope to the place of use; provides a new construction having reduced banner and banner shipment costs; provides a construction which may be readily mounted on any kind, or type, or size, or material of existing pole; and provides a construction eliminating difficulties present with prior devices, and which achieves the objectives stated and solves the existing problems in the art.

In the foregoing description certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding; but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is by way of example, and the scope of the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.

' Having now described the features, discoveries and principles of the invention, the manner in which the improved pole sign construction is constructed and used, the characteristics of the new construction, and the advantageous, new and useful results obtained; the new and useful structures, devices, elements, arrangements, parts and combinations, are set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Pole sign construction of a type in which a flexible banner is removably mounted and tensioned on a pole; including a rectangular flexible banner, each banner corner being provided with attachment means; upper and lower banner support means each including a mounting bracket, flexible metal spring rod means, and spring-tensioned bolt means pivotally connecting said spring rod means to said mounting bracket; and hook means in tensioned engagement between the spring rod means and the attachment means.

2. Pole sign construction as defined in claim I in which the attachment means includes grommet means at each corner of the flexible banner for engagement with the hook means.

3. Pole sign construction as defined in claim 1 in which the attachment means includes rope loop means formed at each corner of the flexible banner for engagement with the hook means.

4. Pole sign construction as defined in claim I in which the spring rod means includes a flexible metal rod provided with an opening at each end for receiving the hook means, and in which the rod is inserted through a hole in the bolt means shaft and permanently attached thereto.

5. Pole sign construction as defined in claim 1 in which the spring-tensioned bolt means includes a bolt having a head and a shaft, a spring surrounding the shaft, the mounting bracket being formed with a hole through which the bolt shaft projects, and the spring reacting between the bolt head and bracket to urge the shaft normally to move in one direction through said hole.

6. Pole sign construction as defined in claim 1 in which the spring rod means includes a flexible metal rod; in which the spring tensioned bolt means includes a spring pressed bolt having a shaft, the mounting bracket being formed with a hole through which the bolt shaft projects, and the rod being connected with the shaft on one side of the bracket; and in which the spring pressed bolt urges the rod against the bracket.

7. Pole sign construction as defined in claim 6 in which the bracket is formed with horizontally and vertically extending grooves radiating from said hole; and in which the rod may be selectively seated in either of said horizontally or vertically extending grooves. 

1. Pole sign construction of a type in which a flexible banner is removably mounted and tensioned on a pole; including a rectangular flexible banner, each banner corner being provided with attachment means; upper and lower banner support means each including a mounting bracket, flexible metal spring rod means, and spring-tensioned bolt means pivotally connecting said spring rod means to said mounting bracket; and hook means in tensioned engagement between the spring rod means and the attachment means.
 2. Pole sign construction as defined in claim 1 in which the attachment means includes grommet means at each corner of the flexible banner for engagement with the hook means.
 3. Pole sign construction as defined in claim 1 in which the attachment means includes rope loop means formed at each corner of the flexible banner for engagement with the hook means.
 4. Pole sign construction as defined in claim 1 in which the spring rod means includes a flexible metal rod provided with an opening at each end for receiving the hook means, and in which the rod is inserted through a hole in the bolt means shaft and permanently attached thereto.
 5. Pole sign construction as defined in claim 1 in which the spring-tensioned bolt means includes a bolt having a head and a shaft, a spring surrounding the shaft, the mounting bracket being formed with a hole through which the bolt shaft projects, and the spring reacting between the bolt head and bracket to urge the shaft normally to move in one direction through said hole.
 6. Pole sign construction as defined in claim 1 in which the spring rod means includes a flexible metal rod; in which the spring tensioned bolt means includes a spring pressed bolt having a shaft, the mounting bracket being formed with a hole through which the bolt shaft projects, and the rod being connected with the shaft on one side of the bracket; and in which the spring pressed bolt urges the rod against the bracket.
 7. Pole sign construction as defined in claim 6 in which the bracket is formed with horizontally and vertically extending grooves radiating from said hole; and in which the rod may be selectively seated in either of said horizontally or vertically extending grooves. 